Ballack 'hungry' for success

Ballack: Hoping for success this season

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Michael Ballack has warned Chelsea's rivals that they are 'hungry' to succeed at home and abroad this season.

The Blues have not won the Premier League since they secured back-to-back titles in 2006, while they have also fallen short in the UEFA Champions League despite owner Roman Abramovich's desire to rule the continent.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has been drafted in to improve the team's fortunes in Europe and the Italian looks set to name his first signing of the summer in Yuri Zhirkov from CSKA Moscow for £18million in the next week.

Despite FA Cup triumphs in 2007 and again last season it is the league title and Champions League crown that matter and Ballack is hoping for success in both next term.

"We have to focus on this again, that is for sure," he told Chelsea TV. "We are hungry to win the title back.

"There is also a big target in Europe again, because that is what we want to do as well.

"Chelsea are a big team with a lot of international players, and they want to win the Champions League."

The Stamford Bridge club are also close to completing deals to sign out-of-contract Middlesbrough goalkeeper Ross Turnbull and Manchester City forward Daniel Sturridge - with a tribunal set to decide the fee.